The Osceola times., 1887-07-30
A STRANGE MAN,
Was Colonel Hayes, the Mayor
of Jingo

"' ~ '"i ihdgot' Noloitl
Haycs.'
The speaker was Mr.. Jones, the edit
or Of the Clarion. who was showing
NE the points of interest in the -four
i,hng town of lingo.
| had missed connection with the
western train, and was compelled to
wait several hours before resumng nv
journey. Ii was relief to meet Jones
in that strange place. Although we
had never been very intimate, our
business relations, extending through
man years. had been very pleasant and
satisfactory.
So when Jones pointed out the mayor
of his town | was prepared to say some
thing complimentary.
But my first careless glance at Colo
nel Hayes was followed by an intense
scrutiny.
The mayor was a man of perhaps
ffty, but he looked older. He was tall
and thin, but his appearance indicated
great activity and strength. His ruddy
face and keen black eyes contrasted
strangely with his white hair and mus
iache. 1t was easy to see that he was
man of energy, and his square chin
gave him determined, bulldog look.
81, it possiblc?" | thoughtlessly en-
claimed.
Jones must have read my tell-tals
face. for he drew me into a quiet back
street.
You know him?n ne said You
have seen him before
1T is the most remarkable thing in
the world" | sad, in my unguarded
excitement "The last time saw that
man was fifteen years ago in a
mining camp in California. He
had been arrested for stealing
horse, and the miners were going to
lynch him. In some way he made his
escape. and as all efforts to trace him
failed. it was believed that he met his
death in the woods
"You are sure that he is the manP'
II never forget a face" ] replied.
"your mayor is the borse-thief of Pie
dras Campr'
Fifteen years ago." said Jones,
mcdilatiYely. Yes, that fits the case.
lie WAS away four or five years, and his
wife and baby had rather hard time
ol it. When he came back he had
plenty Of money. He went into busi-
ness and prospered, and now he is the
MAYOR of Jingo. 1t is all right. Yes,
il is all r-i-g-h-tf'
did not like the way he gritted his
teeth. The genial smile had faded
away, aud the man had u sullen, threat
ening look.
You must not mention this" said.
I'VE led rough life IN the mines. and
If Hayes has been good citizen since
he came home. the best way is to say
nothing about il. Don'td dig up man
dead past"
"Oh, don't be uneasy" my friend
answered, with laugh. 81 am not
clurting danger. and it would be dan
gcrous to tackle Hayes. But you have
just time to make your train You
must run for it"
This knocked every thing else out of
my head, and with a hasty farewell |
made for the station, reaching it just
in time to board the last car AS IL was
moving of.
Three days later the Herald con-
tained a bloodcurdling account of the
murder of Editor Jones, at Jingo.
The story filed a column, but the
facs could have been summed up in
half dozen lines. Jones had been
stabbed through the heart while sitting
In his Office late at night. Nothing of
value was missing. and there was no
clew to the perpetrator of the deed.
As the paper slipped through my
nerveless fingers, the face of the mayor
OF lingo seemed to loom up before me.
The thought occurred to me that
Jones must have abused my confidence.
In some way he had let Hayes know
that he had unveiled his past life, and
the mayor had assassinated him.
As | pondered over the affair this
theory grew into a conviction. j felt a
sense of guilty responsibility. Why
had blabbed about the matter at alP
What business was it of mine' In a
rattle-brained way had told curious.
sensation-loving village newspaper
man a secret that was calculated TO
blast Hayes's reputation, and drag him
and his family down into the depths of
humiliation and disgrace.
When the train rolled into Jiugo at
ten o'clock that night was one of the
Passengers. I had found it impossible
to rest until the mystery was sifted u